LIV'S POV

I stared at the ceiling for the 2nd time that night in bed. Fitz had left the night before for the G8 summit and i wasn't sleeping. I fell asleep for an hour and woke up after a nightmare. As much as i hated depending on people i needed him. It was childish and foolish but when he was there i didn't have nightmares. Nightmares usually due to my father, i was worried he came once a month but it wasn't threatening anymore. When he was quiet something big was about to happen.

My phone ringing brought me out of my thoughts

"Hello?"

"Hi" Fitz's voice filled the phone "did i wake you?"

"Ha. No" i rolled my eyes "i can't sleep"

"Me either"

"I would hope not aren't you 12 hours ahead? Which means it's lunch time" i paused "what did you eat for lunch?"

He chuckled "a salad" he lied

"I'll pretend to believe you"

We sat in a comfortable silence until and for a while i felt like i was falling asleep

"Liv?"

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm scared i'll have a nightmare" i answered honestly

"You have nightmares? I'm a light sleeper i would hear you" it was true. I always switched positions in my sleep and Fitz always woke up to see if i was alright.

"I don't have them when you're here" i admitted

He was silent for a while "are you saying you can't sleep because i'm not home?"

"Yes" i whispered

"You should have called me"

"I'll be fine" i yawned "how's cy liking Tokyo?"

"He's not even enjoying it, i know we're here for business but when will we ever be back?"

"We can always go back for vacation" i laughed. Things were good and i wondered if i should bring up Mellie's request. She had called after Fitz left wanting to speak with me about Emmy.

"Liv? Liv?" Fitz pulled me back to the present conversation

"Sorry what?"

"I said i had to go, i have another meeting"

"Oh of course"

"Talk to you later?"

"Later" i hung up and eventually fell asleep

(Break)

"Liv, Mellie is here to see you" Quinn knocked on my office door.

"Send her in please"

Mellie walked in with wearing a deep purple dress and a black coat. She looked just as beautiful as the other day.

"Mellie, how can i help you?"

"I want to see my daughter" i shifted in my seat "you have Fitz by the balls and i know you can make that happen. Also i spoke with a Rowan Pope?" She said making me feel nauseous " he said you can make it happen"

"you have no rights you gave them up when you left her in the middle of the night and now you come back wanting her you don't even know how to take care of her"

"She's a six-year-old little girl" she rolled her eyes

"Why would you want her now?"

"I don't want somebody else like you raising my child"

"Should've thought of that before you left her do you know what that does to her she has nightmares, she believes everyone is going to leave her. You were her parent Mellie i understand if you wanted to leave Fitz but you didn't fight for your own child." I stated firmly "i take care of her, she is loved and played with, she's okay" I finally figured she would want to lnow how she was doing

"How did you-"

"Because i love her too, i would want to know. Look how about you come to dinner tonight? But you have to use the tunnels through camp david so no press sees you"

"Are you sure what about Fitz?"

"I will handle Fitz just be here at six" she nodded and stood Leaving without a word

(Break)

"So my other moms coming to dinner too?" Emmy asked as i dressed her out of her school uniform. It was almost 6 and we had been in my office for a while.

"Yeah she just wants to know about ballet and how you're doing in school"

"But isn't daddy going to be mad that she's here?" I gulped as she repeated the same question Mellie asked. Fitz and his ex wife hated each other and i'm pretty sure i'd be dead meat when he came home but this wasn't about us this was about Emmy.

"I'll handle dad okay?"

"Okay"

"Hi Emma" Mellie said as we came into the dining room. No one ever called her that so it was weird to hear, almost formal.

"Hi" she whispered as she hugged her and then returned to my side as i got her place matt and her water.

"So, Liv tells me you're in ballet"

"My momma" she corrected "i can have two moms right?"

She looked towards me with big eyes "yes Emmy, it's okay"

She nodded and continued eating her dinner "When did you start?"

"When momma came to live with us."

"What do you like to do for fun?"

"Well, mommy and i have tea tuesday's. Every Tuesday we have a tea party. I like reading too! I can read all by myself, i read to daddy when he puts me to sleep" i smiled "I like cartoons but i only get an hour a day"

"An hour?" Mellie asked me

"I don't want her to rely on tv all the time"

The dinner went smoothly and by the time it was 8pm Mellie was returning to her hotel.

"So, would you like to see her when you go visit poppy and nan?" I asked as i tucked her in

"Okay"

"Have a good sleep baby, see you in the morning"

(Break)

I was pacing in the bedroom as i got the notification from Harrison that Fitz had landed on the south lawn. He apparently did not looked pleased. It was the white house, he would eventually find out but i didn't know he'd come home two days early. I listened as he walked through residency ripping doors open looking for me until he paused right outside the door. He stood there with an annoyed look on his face as he entered the room

"Would you like to tell me who the hell you think you are?!" He yelled slamming closed our bedroom door. I jumped at the sound

"I was-"

"I fought for her in court, Mellie didn't even show up did you know that?!"

"She just wanted to know she was okay"

"You couldn't have told her that?!"

"stop yelling at me!"

"NO!" He continued "YOU DID THIS! YOU WENT DIRECTLY AGAINST ME WHEN YOU KNEW I'D NEVER ALLOW IT! SHE IS MY CHILD-"

he stopped talking when i looked at him, we both knew he went over board but we were both too stubborn to say anything.

"She is not allowed in this house again"

"So were going to pretend you didn't just say Emmy is not my child?"

"Olivia-" he warned

"Fine" i grabbed a pillow "i'll go sleep in YOUR child's bedroom" I slammed the door and went off towards Emmy's room. She was awake, sitting up and looking at the door. She had heard everything.

"Sorry we woke you Em, mind if we have a sleepover?"

"Okay" she said quietly "Daddy's mad?"

"At me, not you" i kissed her head as she snuggled towards me

I didn't sleep at all that night when the alarm went off i got her ready for school and dressed for my day. Fitz was already downstairs when i came into my office

(Break)

"Your husband wants to see you in residency" harrison knocked on my office door. It was well after dinner and i had asked Kate to take care of Emmy. She did not need to hear us screaming again.

"Jesus" i mumbled

"He was on a rampage today"

"He was?" I stood "he's angry i let Mellie come here"

"Shit" harrison escorted me up to residency "call me if you need me alright?"

"I will, Goodnight"

I walked upstairs and into our bedroom to see Fitz sitting on the couch, he poured himself some scotch.

FITZ'S POV

i watched as she opened the door slowly. She was wearing a blouse and a grey skirt that reached her mid thigh. She eyed the scotch in my hand as she sat down across from me on the bed.

"Does me drinking make you nervous?" I asked, she gulped slowly and i got my answer.

"No" she lied

"Your father drank didn't he?" I was being an ass and i knew it. She looked away

"Is this what you summoned me for? To tease me about my fears?"

"No-"

"Then what do you want?"

"I'm angry, you don't know what it was like.. Waking up to a note and having to tell your four year old her mom isn't coming home"

"Fitz-"

"I thought we were a team.. You left the team. I am angry with you. I am your husband, i am allowed to be angry with you"

I watched as she walked over and took the scotch from my hands setting it onto the table before she nodded and went to change. She slept in the room but we didn't talk or touch. She was angry with me too.

(Break)

"Liv?" It had been almost four days and we were still not speaking. We sat in silence as Emmy told us about her day at dinner, went to sleep in the same bed but never spoke. It was almost just like we went back to when we were first married.

"What?" She asked as she sat in the dining room after she got off of the phone with Anna.

"Are you coming to bed?"

"In a bit" she sighed getting up revealing her wine glass

"Liv!" I snatched the wine away "you shouldn't be drinking"

"I stopped taking them Fitz." She took the wine glass back "i needed a drink"

"No, you drink when you're sad. Drinking isn't to drink away your problems"

"That's why you drink when you're mad?" She snapped

"Fine. We'll both stop drinking when we're angry"

She allowed me to pick her up. She put her arms around my neck as i carried her upstairs to our bedroom. She took a shower and changed into silk pyjamas before coming to bed. She was staring at the ceiling for a while i thought she had fallen asleep.

"She's my daughter too" she whispered "you don't just get to take that back whenever you feel like it. I am her mother too. I love her too. I will respect your choices about Mellie from now on but don't you dare say that she isn't mine too" she croaked

"Livvie, i'm sorry" she turned away from me. "I'm sorry i hurt you, i'm sorry i said those things i know you are her mother and i thank god every day for the fact that you are here"

She didn't turn around or say anything but she stuck her hand up for mine to hold as she went to sleep. In her own way she had forgiven me.